


Whump/Flufftober

by alistoney



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: 2b fic, Addiction, Angst, Attempted assassination, Battle Wound, Blood, College AU, Cuddling, Domestic, Episode 3x10, Established Relationship, F/F, Fluff, Found Family, Friendship, Gen, Hugs, Human AU, Lightwood Siblings, M/M, Magnus without magic, Med school izzy, New Years kiss, Parabatai, Pets, Possession, Post 3a, Post Finale, Recreational Drinking, Rivals, Self Harm, Singer!Clary, Snow, Tears, Teenage Alec, competitive Alec, drunk!magnus, hellhound, implied MCD, oc child - Freeform, owl!jace, possessed!clary, pre show canon, sibling feels, singer!izzy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-01
Updated: 2019-11-04
Packaged: 2020-11-08 13:31:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 31
Words: 14,947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20836289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alistoney/pseuds/alistoney
Summary: A collection of drabbles for October’s fluff and whumptober prompts.





	1. Shaky Hands

**Author's Note:**

> I’m going to try and alternate between the angst and fluff each day but if inspirations strikes I might not stick with it! I hope you enjoy! Happy October! 
> 
> Credit to these prompt lists  
[Whumptober](https://whumptober2019.tumblr.com/post/187785964678/whumptober2019-october-approaches-and-so-does)  
[Flufftober](https://giucorreias.tumblr.com/post/187561859169/another-year-another-flufftober-since-last-time)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izzy can’t hide from Alec, even if she tried

Izzy shut the door to her bedroom behind her and dropped her head back against it with a deep breath. 

The Institute had been doing business with vampires today and it had been difficult. As much as Izzy wanted to convince herself she was fine, she couldn’t ignore the way she was aching for a bite. 

There were so many of them in the Institute, they were so close. More than once, Izzy had caught herself thinking about the heady feeling of venom in her blood. It had been fleeting but she’d thought it all the same.

She slid down the door until she was sitting on the floor with her knees pulled up to her chest. 

He hands shook against her legs and she clenched them into fists to try and get them to stop. 

They didn’t. 

Izzy let out a strangled sound that was almost a sob and pulled at her hair slightly in frustration.

It was always jarring to realize that this was always going to be looming over her. She could be clean as long as she wanted but it would always be hard to resist when it was so close. 

It was  _ weak _ and Izzy regret the day she accepted that first dose of yin fen every single day. It didn’t seem fair that one single moment could change everything so much. And yet it had. 

A knock sounded on the door but Izzy didn’t move. She contemplated just staying on the floor and ignoring it all together. 

She didn’t want anyone to see her like this. She was supposed to be one of the best Shadowhunters at this Institute. Not on the edge of tears, sitting in defeated on the floor. 

“Iz?” 

_ Alec _ . 

Izzy thumped her head back against the door and cursed Alec’s ability to know when Izzy was trying to hide. 

Sometimes he left her alone. But sometimes he followed her and looked at her with that look that said he would protect her with his life. 

But he couldn’t fix this. 

She wiped at her eyes and stood up before pulling the door open. 

Alec stood in the doorway brows furrowed in worry. He was always worrying about her. She wished he didn’t, so she could stop feeling like such a burden. 

“Hey,” Alec said quietly. He stepped inside and closed the door behind him but didn’t move further into the room. He just leaned against the door and looked down at Izzy. 

Izzy wondered what he saw when he looked at her. Did he see the weakness she tried so hard to hide? 

Izzy watched Alec as he watched her. His gaze was steady. There wasn’t any judgement there. It was Alec, Izzy knew he wasn’t going to judge her, but she’d been bracing for it anyway.

Alec pulled something out of his jacket pocket and held it out in his palm. 

“For you.” 

Izzy let out a small, startled laugh when she realized what it was. 

A candy bar. 

Alec was smiling crookedly at her, looking proud of himself for making her laugh.

She was reminded then of what Alec had said before. 

_ I’m here with you every step of the way. _

Alec kept his promises. He always had.

“I really can’t hide from you, can I?” Izzy murmured, reaching out and taking the candy. 

She found she wasn’t as upset about it as she should have been. 

Alec just smiled, holding his arms out for a hug. Izzy walked into them without hesitation. 

“There’s no coconut this time,” Alec muttered into her hair, “promise.” 


	2. Snow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s snowing, they’re lost in Milan drunk off of expensive wine, and Magnus loves Cat _so_ much.

It hasn’t happened in years. 

Trying to get Cat out for a night on the town is harder than it should be. They’ve both been in Milan for a month now and Magnus has yet to have seen her for longer than an hour. 

Granted he _ has _ been fairly distracted trying to backsolve a curse for a rather handsome mundane for said month. 

It’s been taking up his time. 

But Cat had mentioned she was free tonight in passing the last time they’d spoken, and thus Magnus had shelved the curse before venturing out into the January chill to find the best wine Italy had to offer. 

He let himself into Cat’s hotel room without much effort. It was easy enough to unlock a hotel room with magic and Cat hadn’t gotten annoyed enough to put up wards against him yet. 

“Bonsoir ma chérie,” he greeted

To her credit all Cat did was raise an unimpressed eyebrow and take the Sangiovese from his left hand and magic it open. 

“Wrong language.” 

Magnus shrugged, “Maybe we’re taking a detour to Paris tonight,” he replied, “who's to say?”

They don’t end up in Paris.

Instead, they end up lost. 

“I’m pretty sure we passed this shop ten minutes ago,” Cat muses, leaning further into Magnus’ side and laughing. 

They aren’t _ actually _lost. They could both easily just portal back to Cat’s hotel if they really wanted to. 

Magnus doesn’t want to though. 

He and Cat haven’t been on the same continent in at least two decades. Magnus hasn't been back to Europe since Camille. For immortals a decade or two is nothing, but Magnus had still missed her.

God knows she would have stopped him from making some of the horrible decisions he made. 

Magnus doesn’t have a family. Not in the conventional sense at least. 

He _ has _ met a lot of people in his long life. A lot of people know of Magnus Bane. People he spends nights with, people who come to him for help, people who seek him out because he’s known for providing a good time. 

But he doesn’t have anyone else quite like Catarina in his life. She and Ragnor are possibly the closest thing Magnus has to family. 

He looks over at her, at the familiar line of her nose and the smile he doesn’t see often enough on her face and pulls her further into his side. 

“Look,” Cat says, pointing up at the sky. 

Magnus looks up and quiet joy unfurls in his chest. 

It’s snowing. 

He watches Cat hold out a hand glowing with magic. The snowflake doesn’t melt into her palm when it lands. 

Magnus grins and does the same thing with his own magic, watching as multiple flakes accumulate in his palm. He feels pinpricks of cold on his face as it starts snowing harder.

The snow dots Cat’s hair and gets stuck in her eyelashes. 

Magnus laughs again. 

There’s something beautiful about the night. It’s late enough that the streets aren’t full of people. It feels like he and Cat are the only people in the world. 

Cat sends him a crooked smile and Magnus’ heart swells. 

It’s snowing, they’re lost in Milan drunk off of expensive wine, and Magnus loves her _so _ much. 


	3. Delirium

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You need to keep your eyes open. Stay with us, okay?”
> 
> Magnus is too tired to argue.
> 
> “Okay,” he agrees.

Magnus doesn’t let himself fall until they make it out of the crumbling warehouse. 

As soon as everyone is safe he finally lets himself take a deep breath. And then the world seems to tilt on its axis and suddenly Magnus is on the ground. He hears someone drop down next to him in alarm but doesn’t pay any attention to it. They sound miles away. 

He can feel gravel digging into his knees and there seems to be something burning in the corner of his vision but he can’t make it out. 

Something cold touches his cheek and he gasps, blinking harshly. It’s a hand, he realizes. Alexander’s hand. 

Magnus smiles. 

“There you go, Babe,” he hears, but it still sounds so so far away. 

Alec looks worried when Magnus looks up at him. He tries to reach a hand out to sooth the furrow in his brow but everything feels like it’s moving in slow motion and he gives up.

His vision going swimmy after that, and he only hears voices. 

_ Not good  _

_ Need to leave  _

_ ...infected _

That last one is Isabelle’s voice. 

Yes, he thinks. Yes. Infected. He’d been slashed in the side when they’d first been brought to the warehouse. He’d hid it from Alec when he’d thought they weren’t going to make it out. He’d suspected it was infected.

“I’m sorry,” he tries to say but can’t hear well enough to know whether he succeeds.

The cold hands are on him again. This time they cup both sides of his face and all Magnus can see is blurry hazel. 

He tries to get his vision to focus but that just makes his head hurt. He closes his eyes to try and stop the pain.

The darkness is soothing and he feels the tension start to leave his body.

“Magnus!”

His eyes snap open again. Alec’s eyes are wide and frightened when he focuses on them.

“You need to keep your eyes open. Stay with us, okay?”

Magnus is too tired to argue.

“Okay,” he agrees.

He finds he can’t do it though, his lids feel too heavy and his vision tunnels even as he tries to keep his eyes open. 

He opens his mouth to tell Alec-

And then everything goes dark. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! 
> 
> Comments and Kudos are always appreciated <3


	4. Candles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The power at the Institute goes out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s probably still October 4th somewhere in the world, right?

It’s a stormy New York night and Alec has been at his desk for hours now. 

The steady downpour provides soothing background noise that fills up the quiet office and stops Alec from instinctively looking up at every little noise. 

Rain has always calmed him. It helps him stay focused.

The clock reads one in the morning when he looks up at it. Alec knows he should go home and try to at least get some sleep but he’s never been good at leaving things unfinished.

He sets aside the pile of papers that have been completed. He only has a few more reports to look over and then he’ll call it a night he decided. 

He starts when there’s a loud clap of thunder and then the lights go out.

Alec waits for a moment in the dark. Usually if the power goes out, the Institute’s backup generator gets the electricity back up and running immediately. 

Nothing happens for a long moment and Alec sighs, reaching for his witch light. There must be something wrong with the generator. 

The witch light bathes the room in a white glow and Alec looks down at his pile of unfinished paperwork, resigning to having to finish it in the morning. The witch light will only stay on if he keeps holding it and he needs both hands to do his work. 

There’s a knock on his office door and Alec knows it’s Jace without having to ask. He can sense his presence and Jace is the only other person who isn’t out on patrol who would knock on Alec’s door so late. 

“Come in,” Alec calls. 

Jace walks into the room and raised his eyebrows at Alec. Something fond pushes through their bond and Alec smiles.

Jace holds up two candles and a lighter. 

“Thought you might need these since you’re  _ still _ here,” he says, glancing at the mess of papers on the desk. 

His smile is lopsided and open. The candles are still held out towards Alec in a teasing offer. One that fondly implies that Alec works too much.

Alec rolls his eyes at him.

“I’m actually going to call it a night. I can finish it tomorrow.” 

Jace quirks an eyebrow, amused. 

“Alec Lightwood leaving paperwork till the morning?” he asks with faux incredulity. 

Alec flicks him in the side of the head and laughs when Jace yelps. 

Alec stacks his papers as best as he can and then both he and Jace make their way out into the hall.

The Institute is quiet this time of night. Night patrol is out and most everyone else is sleeping. 

Alec’s always liked the quiet. When he was young and couldn’t sleep, he’d find himself wandering the long hallways aimlessly for hours. Once Jace came into their lives, he started joining Alec on his late night wanderings. 

Alec feels himself smile slightly at the memories of the two of them wandering to the library more often than not and quizzing each other on runes or trying to read complicated books on demons. It had been how he and Jace first bonded. Both children with too much weighing down on them to be able to sleep properly at night. Alec afraid of the world and Jace afraid of being left. 

It was nice to see how far they’d come from that.

“Why are you still awake?” Alec asks as they start walking down the hall. 

“Waiting for Clary.”

Right. The girls are on the night shift tonight. 

The window in the hall lights up with lightning as they pass it and Alec winces.

“They’re probably soaked to the bone out there,” he says. 

It’s early November and temperatures have started falling. The cold paired with the rain means that the night patrol will be cold, wet, and tired when they return. 

“We need to prepare ourselves,” Jace says solemnly, “you know how much Izzy bitches about being cold.” 

Oh Alec  _ knows _ . He’s been on the receiving end of Izzy trying to leech heat off of him, complaining all the while, more times than he can count. 

“Hey,” Jace says suddenly, sounding thoughtful, “were you planning on going straight home right now?”

Alec thinks about it. His bed at the loft does sound inviting, but he  _ had _ planned to stay up at least another hour when he’d thought he was going to be finishing paperwork. And Jace looking at him so hopefully. 

Alec sighs. 

“What do you have in mind?” 

They end up in the Institute kitchen. They’d decided that since they were awake, they might as well make some hot chocolate for their cold and wet night patrol to come home to. 

Alec takes the candles Jace is still holding and sets them up of the kitchen counters before lighting them. 

The kitchen has a gas stove so they can still use it without power and they set to work boiling milk and setting out mugs.

It’s easy to work with Jace, the two of them aware of each other in a way only parabatai can be. They move around each other seamlessly, pouring milk into bowls and pulling marshmallows out of the cabinet. It’s something that helps even off the battlefield. 

They work mostly in silence until Jace lets out a laugh from behind Alec. 

“What?” Alec asks. 

Jace is squatting in front of one of the bottom cabinets when Alec turns around to look at him. 

“Remember when I hid in here for two hours just so i could scare you?” 

Alec huffs out a laugh. 

“Of course I do. You gave me a fucking heart attack. I almost stabbed you with my seraph blade.” 

Jace smiles happily, as if the memory of almost being stabbed by his own brother is one he looks back on fondly. 

Soon enough the night patrol rolls in and Alec and Jace make their way into the ops center with the hot chocolate and candles. 

Clary notices their offerings first, and Alec can’t help but smile at the way her eyes light up. 

“Hot chocolate,” she says, bounding over to Jace and grinning wider when he hands her a mug. 

A damp Izzy follows. Her hair is sticking limply to her shoulders and Alec can tell she’s freezing from the way she pulls her arms into her chest.. Alec smiles softly at her and hands her a mug as well. 

Izzy hums appreciatively and warms her hands on the side of the mug as she burrows into Alec’s side. 

Alec looks around the ops center at the rest of the night patrol being handed their hot chocolate in the flickering candlelight. 

Everyone is smiling and leaning into each other for warmth despite the fact that they all must be exhausted. 

Alec catches Jace’s eye over Izzy’s head and grins. 

He’s glad he stayed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! 
> 
> Comments and Kudos are greatly appreciated!


	5. Gunpoint

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Clary,” Izzy starts slowly, “you don’t want to do this.”
> 
> Clary’s lips curl into a snarl. 
> 
> “Why?” She asks, laughing bitterly, “Because I’ll regret it? You left me _alone_ for an entire year.” Her eyes stray to Jace who is struggling to get himself off of the ground, “All of you. You didn’t come looking for me, you didn’t fight for me. What do I owe _you_?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Didn’t exactly stick to the prompt but I think sword point is almost the same as gunpoint lol. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

Izzy keeps her back against the wall and slows her breathing, trying to calm her racing heart. 

She lost Alec and Magnus back by the dormitories when they’d been cornered on opposite sides of the hallway. 

She hopes they’re okay. 

The Institute has been attacked by a whole slew of possessing demons. Izzy doesn’t know how they got past the wards but they’d possessed shadowhunters quickly and it was dangerous. She can’t trust anyone without the danger that they’re possessed. 

The red warning lights flash harshly in the hall and Izzy tightens her hand on her whip. 

She creeps closer to the ops center and freezes when she finds the end of the hall splattered with blood. 

Shadowhunter blood. There’s too much of it. She’s seen her fair share of blood. She’s had to. But this, the blood of people she’s lived and worked with, is different somehow. The stench of it makes her stomach turn. 

She steps quietly around the corner and into the ops center and freezes in horror. 

There’s more blood streaking the floor and  _ Jace _ is lying in a pool of blood. 

Izzy can’t breathe. She hopes the blood isn’t his. It  _ can’t  _ be his. Izzy doesn’t know what she’ll do if he’s dead.

There doesn’t seem to be anyone else in the ops center and Jace is scarily still on the floor. 

Izzy runs up to him and stumbles to her knees next to him, theres blood on her knees and on her hands but she doesn’t care. 

Jace’s eyes flutter open when she brings a hand to his neck to check for a pulse. 

“Jace,” she breathes, “by the angel I-“ 

Jace, interrupts her by turning over and making an attempt at sitting up. His left side is slick with blood and Izzy bites her lip, taking out her stele and activating his  _ iratze.  _

“You’re going to be fine,” she says, even though she isn’t actually sure. Thinking of the alternative isn’t an option though. Not now. 

“Clary-“ Jace starts and then winces. 

“Is she okay?” Izzy asks, heart dropping in her chest.

Clary had just recently had all her memories return and had been cleared for active duty only a week ago. Having her back in their lives has been nothing short of a miracle. 

Izzy isn’t sure if she’d survive losing her again. 

“She’s behind you,” Jace says urgently. 

Izzy whirls around and her breath catches when the tip of a seraph blade touches her chest.

Clary stares back at her, eyes black and unseeing. 

Izzy grits her teeth and holds her breath. Clary presses the blade just a little further.

“Clary,” Izzy starts slowly, “you don’t want to do this.”

Clary’s lips curl into a snarl. 

“Why?” She asks, laughing bitterly, “Because I’ll regret it? You left me  _ alone _ for an entire year.” Her eyes stray to Jace who is struggling to get himself off of the ground, “All of you. You didn’t come looking for me, you didn’t fight for me. What do I owe  _ you _ ? 

It’s the demon talking, Izzy knows that. But the words feel like a punch to the gut. It’s somehow worse than the blade pressed to her chest. 

“Clary,” she starts brokenly, the words getting caught in her throat, “I’m  _ so _ sorry. Not fighting for you was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Losing you—It was unbearable.” 

Clary freezes, and the pressure of the blade gives for just a second, so Izzy keeps talking. Every awful, heart wrenching moment of the past year comes spilling out of her.

“I missed you every second of every day,” Izzy says chest constricting with the memories, “I kept turning around expecting you to be there and you weren’t and it shattered me  _ every single time _ .”

Izzy can’t tell if she’s getting through to Clary but she hasn’t pressed the blade further so Izzy lets herself hope and keeps talking.

“Whenever someone made bullshit excuses for the Clave or tried to carry out shitty orders I’d always wait for you to say something. To  _ fight _ , she smiles brokenly, tears welling up in her eyes, “Because you always did. You  _ always  _ fought like hell for what was right.”

Clary’s demon eyes flash and Izzy gasps as she puts force back into the blade.

“That doesn’t change anything- “ Clary starts.

Out of the corner of her eye, Izzy sees Jace finally stand and reach for his own seraph blade but she shakes her head at him. If there’s a possibility to end this without having to hurt Clary she has to try. 

“And this-“ Izzy forges on even as the blade digs deeper into her skin and she feels blood roll down her chest. 

“_This_ isn’t right and you know it. Clary, I know you're in there somewhere,” she winces at the sting of the blade but doesn’t back down, “if you can hear me, _fight like_ _hell_.”

Izzy expects the demon to get angry. For the blade to be driven deeper into her skin. But instead, Clary’s eyes widen and she drops the blade. 

The demon rushes out of her in a cloud of black smoke and Jace is on it in a second. 

Izzy doesn’t think twice as she cracks her whip and joins him to take care of it. 

Once the demon explodes into sparks, Izzy turns back around to face Clary. 

The sight breaks Izzy’s heart. Clary stands next to the discarded seraph blade with blood on her hands and tears in her eyes. She’s realized what she’s done. 

“I— I’m so sorry,” she says, voice barely above a whisper.

“It’s okay,” Izzy says, even though everything is anything  _ but  _ okay. Her heart sits heavy in her chest even as she takes Clary by the hand and looks into her eyes. 

“No it’s not,” Clary answers simply. 

She falls into Izzy’s arms and  _ sobs _ . 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and Kudos feed my soul


	6. Road Trip

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Rumor has it that you’re going to propose to Izzy at one of the shows,” she says, leaning in and whispering. 
> 
> Clary bites her lip against a smile. She thinks about the ring hidden at the bottom of her duffel bag and feels her smile turn soft.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first au of the month! Hope you enjoy!

Clary grins as she steps out of the van and immediately hears the roar of a crowd.

She doesn’t have to turn and look to know that fans are lined up against the fence of the parking lot where the tour bus is parked. She drops her duffel bag by the van and walks over to the fence. 

“Careful,” Jace mutters under his breath as he follows close behind her.

He doesn’t need to worry though. The fans are as polite as ever, arranging themselves into a line when Clary asks. 

She takes out a pen and signs a few pictures, takes a few photos and talks to the fans about their favorite songs from her and Izzy’s new album. 

Jace stands behind her about a foot away, eyes sweeping the group of fans diligently to make sure Clary is safe. Clary’s glad she has him as her bodyguard. He keeps her safe, but he doesn’t stop her from interacting with the fans, which honestly might be her favorite part of the job. 

At the end of the line, Clary signs a photo for a girl with a rainbow bracelet. She’s young, probably about thirteen or fourteen. Clary smiles and compliments the bracelet, grinning wide when the girl lights up. 

“I have a question for you,” the girl asks, eyes bright and a huge smile on her face. Clary can’t do anything except nod. 

“Rumor has it that you’re going to propose to Izzy at one of the shows,” she says, leaning in and whispering. 

Clary bites her lip against a smile. She thinks about the ring hidden at the bottom of her duffel bag and feels her smile turn soft. 

She hasn’t exactly been subtle about it. She’s been photographed in at least two ring stores with Alec and she and Izzy have been very vocal about the fact that they want to get married in recent interviews. 

Clary grins. 

“Well,” she says winking, “That’s for me to know, and  _ you  _ to find out.” 

The girl’s mouth falls open and she laughs. It’s not a confirmation, but Clary doesn’t outright refute it either. 

When she’s done talking to the fans, Clary makes her way to the tour bus. 

The bus is big and red and  _ The Nephilim _ is written across the side of it just like Clary had spray painted it onto the side of Simon’s van when she and Izzy had first started out. 

The bus is already full when she climbs on. 

Alec is lounging on one of the couches with Simon and Izzy bounds in from the kitchen when she hears the door open. 

She grins and wraps an arm around Clary’s waist, pulling her in and pressing a kiss to her lips. 

“I forgot we’re going to have to deal with this for the next six months,” Jace grumbles, falling onto the couch next to Alec dramatically. 

Izzy sends him a glare before she turns back to Clary with a grin. 

“You ready for one hell of a road trip?” 

Clary grins. 

She’s  _ more  _ than ready.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and Kudos are always appreciated!


	7. Isolation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s a sickening realization. That he’ll never truly be happy. That he can’t.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still on brand with the late uploads lol

It’s a sickening realization. That he’ll never truly be happy. That he can’t. 

Alec lets an arrow fly.

The bowstring cuts into his palm and it distracts him from the way his mother’s words are on a loop in his head. 

_ When you get married. _

Alec’s fifteen. The thought of marriage hadn’t actually crossed his mind until his mother had spoken those words so casually. As if it’s a given that Alec will marry a nice Shadowhunter girl and help the Lightwood name live on. 

It  _ is _ a given. It’s not like Alec has a choice. 

Another arrow goes flying across the training room. It hits the bullseye. At least that’s one thing he’s good at. 

His chest is tight and it hurts to breathe but Alec refuses to think about it. 

He picks another arrow from his quiver and concentrates on the way blood slides down his wrist, the way his palm stings. A pain easier to deal with than the ache inside. 

He could go talk to Izzy about it, the way  _ she _ does when she’s frustrated or upset. She’ll come into his room and talk. Sometimes she’ll rant herself into tears. Alec could do that if he wanted. He knows Izzy will listen. 

But Izzy won’t understand this, not really. 

And Alec’s afraid that if he starts crying, he won’t stop. 

So he lets arrow after arrow go flying into the bullseye. 

He’s alone. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! 
> 
> Comments and kudos feed my soul


	8. Childhood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magnus and Alec look through a photo album Maryse brought over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is super short because I’ve had the longest day. But I really like it and I think it works as a short little thing!
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

Alec groans, dropping his head back onto Magnus’ arm.

“I can’t believe my mother gave you these,” he grumbles, reaching out to try and close the photo album on Magnus’ lap, “they’re embarrassing.”

He doesn’t succeed and the stiff photo of him holding a bow far too large for his small ten year old body stays open. 

Magnus grins down at him, bringing a hand up to softly push his hair back. 

Alec’s eyes flutter closed at the contact and he hums under his breath. 

“I think they’re cute.” 

Alec keeps his eyes closed even as he feels Magnus shift. 

“Don’t lie,” Alec says, biting his lip when Magnus chuckles from above him. 

“I would never.” 

Soft lips press against Alec’s and he can’t help but smile.    
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comment and Kudos are always appreciated


	9. Shackled

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jace begs. He begs and screams until his throat is raw with it. 
> 
> But the owl isn’t going to listen. 
> 
> Alec’s on the floor and the owl _won’t listen._
> 
> Or Jace during that scene in 3x10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one made me cry to write....

Jace feels himself go cold when he realizes it’s Alec in the alley. 

He wants to yell.  _ Beg _ him to run. To get away. 

He doesn’t know if he’ll survive hurting him. 

_ He won’t _ .

But Alec is Alec, so he stands his ground. Because he’s carrying out  _ Jace’s  _ wish. He told Alec to kill him. This is his fault. 

He wants to scream as his body lunges forwards towards Alec. He can’t stop it. All he can do is watch as Alec holds his ground. 

Jace is so fucking proud of him for every hit he gets in. 

But it’s not enough. 

Jace has to watch himself back Alec into the wall. Has to watch his  _ own _ hand snap Alec’s arm. 

His blood runs cold when Alec screams. 

_ Stop _ .  _ Please stop. _

Jace begs. He begs and screams until his throat is raw with it. 

But the owl isn’t going to listen. 

Alec’s on the floor and the owl  _ won’t listen.  _

He’s going to kill him, Jace realizes in horror as he picks up the fallen arrow from the ground and stalks towards Alec. 

Alec.  _ Alec _ . His  _ parabatai _ . The first person in this sorry excuse for a world that made him feel safe. Jace is going to  _ kill _ him. 

Jace sobs as the arrow comes down. 

But Alec stops it. He stops it, and he looks into Jace’s eyes. 

“Jace, I know you’re in there.” 

Jace listens to the sound of his voice. Gruff and out of breath and yet so fucking familiar. 

_ I’m here _ .

He wishes Alec could hear him. 

_ I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry.  _

“It’s okay. I forgive you.”

Jace sobs again and tries desperately to gain control. To let go of that arrow that’s so close to Alec’s chest. He tries with everything in him to come back to Alec. The way you’re supposed to when someone you love tries to get through to you. 

It doesn’t work. 

It doesn’t fucking work. Jace is shackled to a murderer. He’s going to kill his best friend. His  _ brother.  _

He wants to scream again, but it’s no use. 

“It wasn’t you,” Alec says, voice weak and pained. 

Jace watches his hand push the arrow deeper into Alec’s chest. 

_ Yes it was.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve never really written jace pov before but I enjoyed it! 
> 
> Comments and Kudos are appreciated!


	10. Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s New Year’s Eve, Magnus is drunk, and Alec is in love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To soothe the pain from yesterday

“I believe this is yours.” 

Alec looks up just as Aline deposits a very drunk Magnus Bane into his lap. 

He and Magnus had arrived to Aline’s yearly New Years Party together but Alec had lost Magnus to the dance floor almost two hours ago. 

In that amount of time, his shirt has somehow gotten unbuttoned and his makeup is slightly smudged and he’s gotten very  _ very  _ drunk. He still looks beautiful, even if he is a bit of a mess.

Alec smiles, snaking an arm around Magnus’ waist to keep him steady. And  _ maybe _ also so that he can touch Magnus’ bare skin. 

Alec’s a twenty-one year old college student. His boyfriend’s hot. Sue him. 

“Alexander,” Magnus drawls, leaning backwards into Alec’s chest. 

He smells like vodka and sweat but Alec doesn’t really mind. 

“Hey babe,” he answers, laughing when Magnus throws his head back onto his shoulder to look up at him. 

“Beautiful,” Magnus murmurs, almost absentmindedly, as if he’s not really speaking to anyone except himself. 

Alec blushes and brushes away the hair that’s fallen into Magnus’ eyes. 

“How much have you had to drink?” he asks even though he can probably make a pretty good guess.

Magnus rolls his eyes lazily.

“Your sister  _ challenged  _ me,” he says empathetically. 

Alec raises his eyebrows. Well, that means he’s going to have to take care of two ridiculously drunk people tonight. 

“And did you win?” 

Magnus scoffs, turning around clumsily so that he’s facing Alec. 

“Of course I did.”

Alec laughs, fondness bright in his chest. He lets his eyes roam Magnus’ face. The gold liner framing his eyes, the way his cheeks are slightly flushed from the heat. How his eyelashes curl and brush his cheekbones when he blinks. 

“What?” Magnus asks when he notices Alec staring.

“Nothing. I just love you. That’s all.”

Magnus’ face lights up and he leans forwards. He’s absolutely beautiful. Like this, drunk and giggly in Alec’s lap, and always. 

“Love you too, darling.”

They both look up when people suddenly start making their way to the door. Alec realizes then, why Aline had brought Magnus to Alec. 

It’s almost midnight. 

Alec watches as people make their way out to the front lawn where they can see the fireworks go off once the clock strikes twelve. 

He looks down at Magnus as everyone starts yelling the countdown from outside. 

_ 10-9-8 _

Magnus looks up at him through his eyelashes, but doesn’t make a move to go join everyone outside. 

_ 7-6-5 _

“We’re missing the countdown,” Alec says quietly but Magnus just smiles and leans close enough to press their foreheads together. 

_ 4-3-2 _

“I’d rather have you to myself,” Magnus whispers 

_ 1 _

_ Happy New Year! _

Alec smiles against Magnus’ lips. 

A Happy New Year indeed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and Kudos are always appreciated


	11. Stitches

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jace is being reckless and Alec is worried

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apparently I’m having parabatai feels lately

“Hold still for fucks sake,” Alec mutters, knotting a suture in place on the wound above Jace’s eyebrow. 

He’s bled a lot. Alec can still feel some of the residual panic from finding him in an alley, blood soaking his hair and face. 

“I  _ am _ ,” Jace grumbles back, wincing when Alec pushes the needle back into his skin. 

His face is caked with dried blood. Alec can still smell it, the taste of iron stuck in the back of his throat. It doesn’t help to ebb the panic. 

He hadn’t known what to think when he’d felt Jace through their parabatai bond. It hadn’t hurt, but Alec had gone cold when he’d felt a flicker of panic that hadn’t been his, a feeling of wrongness washing over him.

Seeing Jace bloody on the floor had scared Alec more than he’d like to admit. 

Jace winces as Alec pulls the suture through the wound again.

“What’s got you in a mood?” Jace asks suddenly.

Alec breathes in deeply once but it doesn’t do anything to help the way his anger flares. 

“What’s got me in a  _ mood _ ?” He asks incredulously, “You could have gotten yourself killed.” 

Jace looks up at him.

“But I didn’t.” 

Alec bristles again. Ever since everything with the owl, Jace has been disappearing only to walk head first into danger without a second thought. Without backup. Without  _ Alec _ . 

“That’s not the fucking point,” Alec snaps, “you can’t just walk solo into danger whenever you want.”

He sighs, cutting the suture and checking to make sure he’d gotten the wound fully closed. 

“You forget that there are people who care about you. Even if you don’t,” Alec says under his breath. 

That seems to strike a chord in Jace because he freezes and then brings a hand up to his forehead to brush at the newly done stitches. 

“I’m sorry,” he says quietly, looking at Alec contemplatively. As if he’s never considered the fact that Alec might be worried every time he disappears for hours on end. 

Always scared that this will be the day Jace doesn't come back.

“I know you feel like you deserve it,” Alec says quietly, because he knows. God he  _ knows _ how it feels to know there’s blood on your hands, even if it wasn’t really you who did it, “But that wasn’t you.” 

He knows it sounds empty and hard to believe. Alec thought the same thing when he heard it said to him. It’s not going to fix the guilt eating him alive. But it’s all Alec can say. 

Because the truth is, Alec doesn’t know  _ how  _ to fix this. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! 
> 
> Comments and Kudos are always appreciated


	12. Underwear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clary and Izzy leave their daughter with Simon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this at like 4am and didn’t remember I’d written it until I looked in my docs lol

“You think she ended up killing Simon?” Clary asks quietly as they make their way up the steps of their building. 

Izzy and Clary had left their four year old daughter, Sophie, with Simon for the night. They’d had a long week. Having a little Shadowhunter running around is a handful and they’d needed a night to themselves. 

Simon had been more than happy to look after her for a few hours.

Izzy leans into Clary’s side as she unlocks the door to their apartment and laughs under her breath. 

“Oh most certainly,” she grins, thinking of her mischievous little girl, “he never stood a chance.” 

The lights are off but the TV is still on in the living room. 

Izzy can’t help but laugh when she sees the ending of Star Wars playing. 

Clary snorts under her breath. 

“Of course he’d show our daughter Star Wars at four years old,” she says, quietly amused. 

Izzy shakes her head fondly. Out of everyone, Simon is probably the best with Sophie. She loves listening to his stories and excitedly talking about superheroes. 

When they walk into the room Simon looks up with a grin. Sophie is curled securely in his arms and for some reason Izzy doesn’t think she could possibly guess, there is an underwear on her head. 

Clary laughs quietly and shares a look with Izzy. 

“Why is our daughter wearing underwear on her head?” 

Simon goes to answer but Sophie stirs in his arms and cracks an eye open to look at them. 

“It’s a hat,” she argues sleepily.

Izzy raises an eyebrow at Simon questioningly. 

Simon shrugs, “you heard the girl. It’s a hat.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! 
> 
> Comments and Kudos are appreciated


	13. Adrenaline

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The buzz of magic under his skin is gone. It’s been there all his life. Even when he’d had no one else, he’d had his magic. And now he can’t feel it.
> 
> Magnus in 3x10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m in a 3a mood this week lol

“Alec!”

Magnus’ heartbeat rings frantically in his ears. All he can see is Alec on the ground, an arrow in his chest. 

_ God _ . If Magnus had been a second too late—

_ He can’t think about that right now.  _

He doesn’t think at all as he gathers the magic into his palms and hurls it at Jace, adrenaline pumping through him. 

Jace hits the wall and Magnus doesn’t even look to see if it worked. He skids to a stop by Alec’s side, gravel digging into his knees and palms. 

He brings his hand up without thinking about it, desperate to heal, and then freezes. 

Because he  _ can’t _ . 

The adrenaline seeps out of him and he feels suddenly cold. Scarily empty.

The buzz of magic under his skin is gone. It’s been there all his life. Even when he’d had no one else, he’d had his magic. And now he can’t feel it. It’s  _ gone.  _ Magnus almost sobs at the realization. 

But then, Alec coughs and looks up at him with half lidded eyes. 

“Mom said you’d make a dramatic entrance.”

Magnus smiles, despite himself, even as he has to blink back tears. 

“Wise woman,” he replies, willing his voice not to shake. 

Alec’s breathing stutters and Magnus bites his lip. The arrow is still in his chest. Magnus can see the blood. He doesn’t know if the arrow punctured a lung or not and he’s scared to find out.

He doesn’t notice that Jace has scrambled over to them until he speaks. 

“Magnus, please, you gotta fix him.”

Magnus almost doesn’t choke back his sob this time. 

He’d tried to save them. Save  _ Alexander _ .

And now all he can do is watch helplessly as Alec lies bleeding on the floor. 

“I can’t,” he grits out, “my magic, it’s gone.” 

It’s possibly the hardest thing he’s ever had to say.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! 
> 
> Comments and Kudos are appreciated.


	14. Roommates

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izzy’s got an anatomy exam tomorrow and Alec walks in on the chaos

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have some au Lightwood sibling feels

The apartment is covered in papers when Alec lets himself inside after work. 

He steps cautiously around them to make his way into the sitting room and finds Izzy on the floor, her laptop in front of her, and even more papers spread all around her.

She’s wearing her glasses, has her hair up in a messy bun, and has no makeup on. 

Alec knows immediately that she has an exam coming up. He’s lived with her almost his entire life. He knows what she looks like when she’s stressed. 

Once Izzy had graduated high school and gotten her bachelors degree she’d moved right back in with him. 

Now, she’s working on getting her way through med school and the classes are brutal. 

“Hey,” Alec says from across the room, not daring to try and pick his way through the papers towards her. 

Izzy looks up, eyes wild until they land on Alec. 

“Alec!” she says, pushing her laptop away and beckoning him into the chaos, “come here. Give me your hand. I need to see if I can name all the bones.” 

Alec doesn’t argue, just shakes his head fondly and joins her, holding out his hand. 

“You have an exam soon?” 

Izzy nods distractedly as she turns his hand over and starts poking his knuckles with her fingers. 

“Anatomy exam tomorrow,” she mutters.

Alec watches silently as she presses her fingers into different parts of his hand, muttering names of bones he’s never heard of and scribbling into her notebook periodically. 

Izzy has a single-minded focus when she’s like this. Everything else in the world disappears and she concentrates wholeheartedly on the task at hand. 

Alec’s proud of her. She’s paying her own way through med school and has already killed her first two semesters. 

Alec doesn’t have any doubt that she’ll be an amazing doctor. If anyone can make it through med school in one piece it’ll be Izzy.

He looks up when Izzy lets go of his hand and pumps her fist in victory. 

“I got them all right!” 

Alec grins at her, “of course you did.” 

Izzy rolls her eyes but she’s beaming and she doesn’t look as stressed as she had been. 

She turns around towards her backpack and pulls out a distressingly large amount of flash cards and places them out in front of her. 

“All that’s left is learning these,” she says, patting the cards. 

Alec looks at the cards and then at the clock which reads five minutes until ten.

“Well,” he says, patting Izzy’s knee and standing up from the floor, “we’re going to be up for a while. I’m on snack duty and then I can quiz you.” 

Izzy smiles gratefully at him. 

Alec knows she doesn’t  _ need  _ him to stay up and help her study, but she does appreciate it. 

And Alec’s her big brother. If he has to spend a few days staying up until ungodly hours of the morning learning every bone in the body with her, then so be it. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! 
> 
> Comments and kudos are appreciated.


	15. Scars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magnus has scars. 
> 
> Alec asks about them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I accidentally made this pretty soft and hopeful rather than angsty but it’s still sad so it counts lol

Magnus has scars. 

Alec hadn’t noticed them at first, too distracted by the feeling of naked skin under his fingers for the first time. 

He’s also pretty sure Magnus used to glamour them when they first got together. Alec wonders if he had thought they would make Alec want him any less. 

If he did, he was wrong and Alec hopes he knows that.

Alec lies on his stomach on their bed, head pillowed on his arms and watches Magnus idly. 

He’s shirtless and lying in bed reading a book. They’d both had a rare day off and had decided to spend it entirely in bed. 

They haven’t actually spoken to one another for at least an hour, but Alec is content with the silence and the little fond looks Magnus keeps sending him when he turns to see Alec still watching him. 

Alec lets his eyes trail over Magnus’ skin, stopping on the silvery scar that runs down his abdomen. He brings a hand up and moves to follow the scar down Magnus’ skin with careful fingers. 

He wonders if Magnus know how beautiful he looks, scars and all. 

Magnus’ skin jumps under his touch for a second before he relaxes and looks down at Alec. 

Alec just smiles at him and moves his fingers to a small scar on his hip. 

“Alexander—“ Magnus starts, voice quiet, but Alec moves closer, ducking down to press a brief kiss to the scar on Magnus’ hip. 

When he looks up at him through his eyelashes, Magnus is worrying his bottom lip between his teeth. 

“What are you doing?” He asks quietly. 

“Why did you use to hide these?” Alec murmurs a question of his own as he swipes fingers back up the scar on Magnus’ abdomen. 

Magnus lets out a breath and closes his book, placing it on the bedside table. 

Alec moves back up the bed so he can look into Magnus’ eyes as he speaks.

“It was habit I suppose,” Magnus says. He’s looking at Alec but his mind seems like it’s far away, “when you’re as old as I am, you’re bound to have dozens of scars. But hiding the imperfections from people, it made me feel stronger.” 

Alec’s heart clenches just slightly and he leans forwards to press their lips together. 

“I like imperfect,” he murmurs into the small space between their lips. Magnus lets out a small laugh into his mouth and Alec grins. 

When they pull apart Alec’s fingers wind up back on him, tracing a scar on his arm. 

“How did you get them?” He asks, “if you want to tell me.” 

Magnus hums, his hand covering Alec’s on his arm. 

“Well this one was all Ragnor’s fault,” he says, voice light with amusement and a tinge of nostalgia, eyes looking like his mind has strayed far away again. 

Alec smiles, moving to straddle Magnus and kissing the scar before moving his lips to another. 

“And this one?” 

Alec smiles as Magnus recalls the stories of his scars. He’ll never get bored of hearing about Magnus’ life. His stories. Each one teaches him more and more about the man he loves. 

Finally, Alec ducks down and presses a kiss to the long scar on Magnus’ abdomen. 

He doesn’t prompt Magnus, but he feels him tense against Alec’s touch. 

“You don’t have to tell me,” Alec says quickly, looking up through his eyelashes.

While he loves hearing about Magnus’ life, he doesn’t ever want to force anything from him. He’s content to hear what Magnus is willing to tell. There’s no doubt that there’s many things Alec will never know and he just has to be okay with it. 

“My kind used to be hunted for sport,” Magnus says after a long moment, and Alec feels his heart sink. The unsaid _ hunted by shadowhunters _lingers in the air. 

“There’s very few warlocks who don’t have some lasting memories of it,” he goes on. His fingers move to absently rub at the scar. 

Alec finds himself thinking about a Shadowhunter cutting at Magnus’ skin with a seraph blade, hatred probably in their eyes. 

He swallows roughly. It’s different to think about it this way. Not just as something he’d been told Shadowhunters used to do during his history lessons as a kid. Something he never really thought about much after that. 

Magnus will always have a reminder of the way the world used to be. He’d probably lost countless friends because of Alec’s people. And Alec hasn’t even thought about it. 

He feels slightly sick.

“A group of us got ambushed,” Magnus says, “I was the only one who made it out alive.” 

His voice sounds detached but Alec can see the painhe tried to hide laced in his eyes. 

Alec’s heart rattles in his chest and he pulls Magnus into his chest. 

“I’m so sorry,” he says into his hair. 

When he looks at Magnus again, there’s fierce determination in his eyes. 

“I don’t need apologies, Alexander,” he says, “I need change,” he rests his forehead against Alec’s, “That’s why what we’re doing right now is so important.” 

Alec nods. 

He knows this is probably something he’ll never truly understand. He wasn’t there. He’s never had to fear finding out someone he loves is dead just because they existed and someone didn’t like it. 

But he can damn well try and help make sure no other Downworlder from now on has to either. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! 
> 
> Comments and kudos are appreciated


	16. Promises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clary has a question for Izzy

Izzy is jotting down inventory for a new shipment of weapons to the Institute when there’s a quiet knock on the door. 

She looks up, confused when she finds Clary lingering in the doorway. 

Izzy had left the door open when she’d come in, and Clary has never had any qualms about walking into the room while Izzy is working. 

Izzy tilts her head and smiles at Clary, beckoning her to come in. 

It takes her a moment to move and step through the doorway and Izzy furrows her brows. It’s as if Clary is steeling herself for something. She almost looks  _ nervous _ . 

Izzy doesn’t have a clue why she’d need to prepare herself to talk to her. She and Clary have always gotten along. 

It had been a bit awkward when Clary’s memories had only half returned and she didn’t really know exactly who Izzy was to her. But she’s had all her memories back for months now and Izzy had thought everything had gone back to normal. 

“Clary,” Izzy starts, setting down her file and turning so her full attention is on Clary, “are you okay?” 

Izzy watches as Clary shakes her head as if she’s clearing her thoughts and then takes a deep breath. 

“Yeah I—“ she sighs and then turns so she’s facing Izzy fully, “I have a question for you.” 

Their eyes meet and Izzy sucks in a breath. She’s taken back to a year ago when Clary had said those exact same words to her, the same careful nerves in her eyes. 

Izzy tries not to let herself hope. It’s been months and Clary hasn’t brought it up. Izzy hadn’t wanted to push. Maybe Clary had changed her mind in the year they’d been apart. 

“Yes?” Izzy asks, her voice barely a whisper. She’s not sure she can speak any louder without her voice shaking. 

“Do you— would you still consider becoming my parabatai?” 

Izzy’s chest unfurls with joy and she lets out a watery breath. Because oh how she’s longed to hear that question for months. She hadn’t been sure she  _ ever  _ would. 

“ _ Yes _ .” 

Clary’s smile lights up her face and Izzy feels tears well in her eyes. 

“Really?” she asks and Izzy shakes her head fondly. 

“Of course I do, Clary,” she says, taking Clary’s hands between hers and squeezing, “it would be my honor.” 

Clary’s hands shake in Izzy’s but she’s smiling wide and awe struck, as if she hadn’t believed Izzy would say yes. As if Izzy hasn’t been waiting for this. 

“I wasn’t sure,” she whispers, “it’s been a long time. I didn’t know if you’d changed your mind.” 

“About you?” Izzy says, pulling Clary into a tight hug, “never.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Deciding to become parabatai counts as a promise right? 
> 
> Hope you enjoyed! 
> 
> Comments and Kudos are appreciated


	17. Stay With Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The creature smiles a bloody smile at her, moving closer. 
> 
> “Angel blood,” it gurgles out, voice rough and guttural. 
> 
> Clary gasps, breath getting caught in her throat. A hand comes out towards her, talons long and sharp. Clary suddenly realizes that it might kill her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is a day late. I had little to no time to do anything and wont really have time for the next two days so these might not all be up on time. But don't worry they will go up as soon as I get time.

Clary stands at the edge of the pond, frozen. The animal,  _ creature, _ whatever it is, has long fanged teeth and curling horns. What Clary thinks is supposed to be it’s face is mangled and bloody and Clary really needs to get out of here but she can’t  _ move _ . 

The creature smiles a bloody smile at her, moving closer. 

“Angel blood,” it gurgles out, voice rough and guttural. 

Clary gasps, breath getting caught in her throat. A hand comes out towards her, talons long and sharp. Clary suddenly realizes that it might kill her.

She’s only fourteen, she cant  _ die.  _

The thought unfreezes Clary’s body and she ducks right as the creature’s talon swipes at where she had been standing. She rolls away from the creature and stands up unsteadily, legs shaky and heartbeat rushing in her ears. 

The creature looks angry that Clary managed to dodge it, baring its fangs and snarling at her before rushing towards her. 

Fear claws at Clary’s throat but she doesn’t scream. Instead, she turns on her heel and sprints as fast as she can down the hill, away from the pond. 

She’s small and has always been fast. There  _ has  _ to be someone down at the park who can help her. 

But when Clary makes it down, the park is deserted. There isn’t even a single person walking along the street nearby. It’s a strangely haunting scene for the middle of the day in New York City. 

“Help!” Clary tries yelling even though she knows it won’t help. The creature is getting closer behind her and Clary keeps running, hoping,  _ praying _ , that she’ll find someone, “Help! Please someone help me!” 

But there’s no one and Clary can’t run forever. 

Her breaths are coming unevenly and she knows she’s slowing down. She gasps out a long heaving breath and turns around, bracing herself. 

The creature makes a screeching sound and lunges at her. 

Clary screams. 

...

“Clary!” 

Clary opens her eyes and finds herself in her bedroom. The yellow walls she and her mom had painted, her art hung on the walls. 

Luke is sitting on the edge of her bed, hand resting on Clary’s shoulder.

It was just a dream. Thank  _ God.  _

“Luke,” Clary says softly, her voice slightly shaky. 

“You okay kiddo?” 

Clary nods, but she can still feel the remnants of fear running through her. 

“Yeah,” she says, “Just a bad dream, I guess.” 

Luke nods, smiling warmly. It makes Clary feel safe. She’s not alone in a park. There’s no mysterious creature after her. But for some reason, she can’t shake the thought that the dream  _ means  _ something. 

_ Angel blood  _ the creature had said. Why does that sound familiar? 

“In my dream I was being chased by some sort of creature,” Clary starts, the words slipping out of her before she thinks about it. Luke just makes it so easy for her to tell him things, “And it was the weirdest thing. It said something about angel blood. It seemed important for some reason.” 

Out loud it sounds a lot stupider and Clary shakes her head. 

“I don’t know. I must have subconsciously gotten it from some book I read or one of Simon’s video games.” 

Luke nods but something in his eyes looks troubled. Clary wants to ask about it but Luke starts speaking before she can. 

“Yeah, probably,” he says, “Don't worry about it. Go back to sleep.” 

Clary nods, settling back into her pillows, but she feels suddenly uneasy when Luke gets up to leave. She doesn’t want to have another nightmare again. 

“Stay with me?” 

Luke turns and smiles at her, soft and fond. His Clary smile. The way he’s been looking at her since as long as Clary can remember. 

“Of course.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! 
> 
> Comments and Kudos are appreciated.


	18. Pranks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s April Fools Day

“Indian or Thai?” 

Magnus turns to smile over his shoulder at Alec, holding out a hand to twine their fingers together. 

Alec hums, squeezing Magnus’ fingers and moving to his side. 

“As long as it’s food. I don’t care. I’m starving.”

Magnus grins. 

Alec had been on patrol all afternoon. Magnus knew he’d forget to eat lunch so he’d shown up at the Institute for an impromptu lunch date. 

“I know a great place near the loft-“ Magnus starts and then cuts himself off when there’s a loud crash from further down the hallway where the training room is. 

Before he can turn to send Alec a questioning look, Jace stumbles out of the room looking incredibly smug.

He grins wider when he sees Alec and Magnus in the hallway. 

“Oh, hey,” he says, his smile not dimming in the slightest. 

Muffled cursing sounds from the training room and Jace looks over his shoulder, eyes widening. 

“Jace you little shit!” 

Magnus recognizes that at Izzy’s voice and raises his eyebrows. 

“Ah shit,” Jace says, turning back to Magnus and Alec, “that’s my cue to get the hell out of here.” 

And with a final salute Jace runs down the hallway, disappearing around the corner. 

Izzy comes out of the training room a moment later, eyes flashing. 

“Where is he?” She asks, eyes narrow and calculating, “the fucker. I’m going to  _ end _ him.”

Alec points her the way Jace had gone and she stomp after him. 

“Should I be alarmed?” Magnus asks, glancing sideways at Alec. 

Alec just laughs. That fondly amused chuckle that only ever occurs when he’s with his siblings. 

“No,” he says, “Don't mind them. Its April 1st. They’re going to be at it all day. They’ve been doing it since we were kids and Jace replaced Izzy’s staff with a real snake. They’ll intensely prank each other all day and the Institute will probably end up in shambles. But we’re used to it by now.” 

Magnus shakes his head and laughs as well. 

Izzy and Jace are both intense and committed. He has no doubt that they won’t go easy on each other. 

He just hopes The Institute survives the damages.


	19. Asphyxiation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Everything’s going to be okay, Iz.” 
> 
> Izzy knows he’s lying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one has implied mcd so just a warning!

“Alec?” Izzy coughs and tries to heave herself onto her knees, “ _ Alec _ .”

Her arms are shaky when she pushes onto them. 

The explosion had come out of nowhere. She and Alec had been investigating a lead on some possible demonic activity when the roof had caved in and something had exploded. 

It’s too dark for Izzy to see anything, and the smoke burns her eyes as she tries to to see if she can see Alec. 

He better be okay. She doesn’t know what she’ll do if he isn’t. She doesn’t let the panic that wants to claw its way into her chest take root. 

“Alec,” she tries again, on her hands and knees now. 

She tries to get to her feet and has to swallow a sound of terror when she realizes the roof has caved too low for her to stand. 

“Isabelle!” 

Izzy lets out a relieved breath. Alec’s okay. It’s going to be okay. 

“Over here!” She calls, starting to crawl towards the direction she’d heard his voice. 

“Thank the Angel,” Alec says, voice much closer than it had been the first time.

There’s a moment of rustling and then the space floods with the eerie blue glow of Alec’s witch light. 

Alec looks like a mess. His face is covered in soot and there’s a trail of blood seeping from a cut on his cheek. Izzy’s sure she looks just as bad. 

“Are you okay?” Alec asks, eyes searching Izzy’s crouched form for any injuries. 

Izzy shakes her head and crawls to sit next to him. 

Alec stays quiet and then pulls out his phone, cursing under his breath when he finds it’s been shattered. 

Izzy pulls her own phone out but she hasn’t gotten any service. 

They don’t say anything for a long moment. Izzy wonders how the hell they're going to get out of this. 

They’re closed in on all sides and they’d said they’d be gone a while. No one will come looking for them for hours. 

And even if someone does come looking. How will they even be able to get past the rubble in time? Izzy knows they’re going to run out of oxygen fast. 

“What do we do?” Izzy asks quietly. She feels remarkably like she used to when she was young and believed that Alec could fix anything. 

“I don’t know,” Alec whispers. 

It takes a few hours, but eventually Izzy starts feeling dizzy. It’s the lack of oxygen, she knows. She’s smaller than Alec so he probably isn’t feeling it as much yet. 

“Alec?” Izzy asks, pain shooting through her head. 

When Alec looks down at her his movements are slower than normal and it takes him a moment to focus. 

“Do you think we were good people?” 

Alec looks startled a moment at the question. If he notices Izzy referring to them in the past tense, he doesn’t say anything. 

“I think you’re the greatest Shadowhunter I’ve ever known. And the best little sister,” he says instead of answering the question.

Izzy rolls her eyes and leans on Alec. 

“You’re biased.” 

Alec just laughs and smooths a hand clumsily through her hair.

Izzy wants to cry but she feels too tired to do even that. Everything feels heavy. 

“I think we tried our best to be good,” Alec answers seriously after a moment. 

He uses past tense too and it breaks something in Izzy’s heart. She’s always known she’d probably end up dying while out in the field, she just hadn’t expected it so soon. 

“I hope it was enough.”

“Everything’s going to be okay, Iz.” 

Izzy knows he’s lying. 

“I love you,” he mutters into her hair. 

“I love you too, big brother.”

It feels remarkably final. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! 
> 
> Comments and Kudos are appreciated


	20. Future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magnus and Alec have an unexpected visitor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I use the word future in this so it counts even if it’s the loosest interpretation of this prompt ever.

When Magnus portals home to the loft after a long day of appointments he’s surprised to find his husband standing in the middle of their living room with wide, startled eyes. 

“Alexander, is everything okay?” 

Alec looks over his shoulder at something and then turns back to look at Magnus. 

“Yeah, why wouldn’t it be?” 

Magnus narrows his eyes and moves around the couch. He’s known Alec long enough that he can tell when he’s lying by now. 

When he makes it around the couch, he stops in his tracks as he realizes why Alec is so panicked.

There’s a baby hellhound sitting by Alec’s feet. It’s eyes are wide and it sits as if it’s decided it’s going to be Alec’s protector. It tilts its head at Magnus but otherwise doesn’t move from Alec’s side. 

“Where did you get a  _ hellhound _ ?” Magnus asks incredulously. 

Alec throws his hands up. 

“I—I don’t know. It followed me home after patrol.” 

The hellhound makes a happy sound and sets its paws on Alec’s leg, tail wagging. Alec looks at Magnus helplessly, silently asking him what to do. 

Magnus chuckles to himself at how out of his element Alec seems. It’s not everyday a Shadowhunter earns the loyalty of a hellhound. 

Magnus crouches down and holds a hand out to the hellhound. He’s not a stranger to them. He’s kept a few as pets throughout his life, but he’s never encountered one so young before. This hellhound is still small enough to pass as a regular dog. 

The hellhound steps forwards to sniff at his fingers and after a moment seems to decide Magnus is safe and proceeds to place its front paws on his chest, barking happily. 

Magnus laughs and scratches between his ears. 

“When did he start following you?” Magnus asks, looking up at Alec as the hellhound butts into his hand asking for more petting. 

Alec shrugs, eyes fixed on the hellhound. 

“I was in East Harlem,” he says, “I thought the hellhound belonged to the demon I was hunting, but after I killed the demon the little guy started following me.” 

Magnus bites his lip and turns his attention back to the hellhound. It’s settled down onto the floor with its head in Magnus’ lap and it looks rather adorable. Magnus doesn’t think he’s going to be moving any time soon. 

“I suppose he didn’t like his previous master,” Magnus muses, “You must have saved him by killing the demon. That’s probably why he followed you.” 

Magnus turns back to the hellhound and scratches behind his ear. 

“Did Alexander save you? Hmm?” He murmurs. 

The hellhound makes a pleased noise as if it’s answering Magnus’ question and then gets up to trot back over to Alec. 

Alec bends down and pets his head. Hesitantly at first and then when the hellhound plops down in content, Alec grins and sits down beside it to pet it properly.

It nuzzles under Alec’s arm and Magnus can’t help but grin at Alec’s delighted laughter. 

He knows there’s no way he’s gonna have the heart to find this hellhound a different home. 

It’s already captured their hearts. 

Later, they’re both sprawled on the couch with empty takeout boxes and the TV playing some reality show in the background. 

The hellhound is curled up on Magnus’ lap and Alec has got his face buried in its fur. It’s one of the most adorable sights Magnus has ever seen. 

He has no doubt that if Alec kept bringing animals home the loft would turn into a zoo, just because Magnus would be reduced to a puddle at the sight of Alec cuddling with an animal and would be incapable of saying no.

“Alexander,” Magnus says quietly.

“Hmm?” 

“In the future, when you decide to bring a creature from hell home, warn me first.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! 
> 
> Comments and Kudos are appreciated!


	21. Laced Drink

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alec is out of control

“Who did it? I’ll kill them, I’ll fucking kill them.” 

Alec can’t see anything past the red hot range burning through him. 

Someone had poisoned Izzy. Tried to  _ kill _ her. His little sister. The person he’d sworn to protect with his life.

Nobody answers him and Alec whirls around, glare deadly. 

“Does anyone even fucking  _ know?” _

The room stays silent, the only sound is the quiet beeping of the heart monitor next to Izzy’s bed. 

Alec can’t even look at her. She’s too pale, too devoid of life. She doesn’t look anything like his Isabelle. 

Someone had tried to  _ kill  _ her. 

Alec turns and punches the wall with such force that he makes a hole and his knuckles split open. The sting is better than the overwhelming panic that had been consuming Alec from the inside out. 

“Alexander!” 

Magnus’ hand is on his arm and he’s looking at him with stern eyes. 

“You need to calm down, right now.” 

Alec doesn’t know if he can. 

Izzy would be the one staying calm. The one who would say they needed to figure out all the people had access to the poison in order to implement it. She’d ask to run tests, find answers. But Izzy isn’t here. Not really. And Alec is spiraling out of control. He can’t stop it.

Izzy has always been his rock. The one person who’d been able to see right through him from the start and had never once loved him any less. She’d always been able to calm him down. 

Izzy, his bold little sister who never backed down when she thought something wasn’t right. 

Alec had sworn to protect her. 

He’d failed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! 
> 
> Comments and Kudos are appreciated


	22. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jace hasn't had a home in a long time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is so late. I'm trying to catch up this weekend. My life imploded this week so I didn't have time.

“Alec!” 

Alec doesn’t turn around but he knows what Jace is going to say, ducking before Jace even has to say it aloud. 

Jace throws his knife and it lodges in the back of the demon that had been about to attack Alec. It dissolves in a shower of sparks and Jace grins, satisfied. 

He wipes ichor off of his jacket, grinning wider when Alec comes up to him and hands him the knife. 

Alec’s covered in much more ichor than Jace is and he’s making that annoyed grimace that Jace has gotten used to in his now almost two years of living with the Lightwoods. 

“Ugh,” Alec mutters, trying to strip out of his jacket and groaning when it sticks to him, “we’re going to get into so much trouble if we come back covered in ichor.” 

They’re still young. Not active duty Shadowhunters yet. They technically shouldn’t be fighting demons out by themselves. But for once they hadn’t gone looking for trouble. It had come to them. 

“It’s not our fault we got attacked,” Jace shrugs, patting Alec’s shoulder in the only spot not touched by ichor. 

Alec glares at him but Jace knows there’s not really any heat behind it. 

“Come on,” Jace says, pocketing his knife, “let's go home.” 

Jace freezes as he says it. He's never actually called the Institute home before. Jace hasn’t had a home in a long time. When his father died, he’d been carted to and from various institutes until he’d ended up in New York with the Lightwoods. 

And even then, he’d felt like a burden. An outsider. Alec and Izzy were joined at the hip. Jace hadn’t thought they’d open up their small bubble of inside jokes and knowing glances to include him. 

But it’s been almost two years now. And against all odds, the Lightwoods have become important to Jace. Somehow, without even really realizing it, Jace has found a home in them. 

Alec doesn’t seem to notice Jace’s revelation, still grumbling about the ichor. 

He turns and raises an eyebrow at Jace when he finds him standing in the same place he had been earlier.

“Well come on,” Alec says, turning to start walking down the street and throwing a smile at Jace over his shoulder.

Jace lets his lips turn up into a wide smile, running to catch up with Alec. 

They’re going  _ home _ . 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and Kudos are always appreciated!


	23. Bleeding Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You’re going to give me a heart attack one day. You know that?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a short one, but still just as fun to write (and hopefully read)

“Magnus you son of a bitch” 

Magnus laughs and then winches when the slash in his side stings with the movement.

“Don’t move,” Cat warns, pushing up her sleeves and kneeling down next to where Magnus is lying on the gravel. 

“You’re going to give me a heart attack one day. You know that?”

Magnus just grins weekly at her. He’s started to shiver from the blood loss and while he isn’t an expert on stab wounds, he knows that can’t be good.

“What the hell were you doing?” Cat demands, voice equal parts worried and exasperated. 

And well that ‘s the question isn’t it.

Magnus doesn’t know how he ended up in this situation. He’d been trying to help a newly turned vamp and ended up stabbed by a Shadowhunter for his troubles. Typical. He could’ve been at home having a warm bath. But no, his traitorous heart hadn’t been able to say no to a downworlder in need. 

Magnus holds his breath as Cat unbuttons his bloody shirt and peels it from his skin. 

“What would I do without you?” Magnus asks instead of answering her question. 

Cat rolls her eyes, her hands lighting up blue as she starts healing Magnus. 

“Probably be dead ten times over.” 

Well. She’s not wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! 
> 
> Comments and Kudos are appreciated


	24. Photography

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A family dinner

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My first hand at Maryse pov

“Take that!” 

Maryse turns and looks across the room where Izzy seems to have won some sort of argument against Jace who looks defeated as Clary pats him on the shoulder in amused consolation. 

She smiles as she walks with her drink back to the couch in the living room where she had been sitting with Luke. 

Alec and Magnus had invited them all over for dinner and the loft was bustling with the carefree happiness of people who loved each other. 

She can see Magnus in the kitchen with Max, the two of them whispering about something or another and can hear Simon and Alec laughing at something in the hallway. 

Maryse smiles when she makes it to the couch and Luke grins at her, winding an arm around her shoulders when she sits down.

Despite living in such close quarters with Shadowhunters for so long back at the Institute, it had never felt like this. So familiar and full of love. 

Luke kisses her cheek and Maryse leans into his side, content to watch her children and the people they love laugh and talk around her. 

“Family photo!” Izzy calls, holding up a camera and grinning.

Alec and Jace go to stand behind the couch Maryse is sitting in and Max goes to sit next to her while Izzy fiddles with the camera. The rest of the people seem to hesitate, not sure if they should be part of the photo or not. 

Maryse looks at all of them for a moment. Luke who makes her feel things she hasn’t felt in so very long. Clary who’s smart and determined and who all of her children love, Simon who talks for hours but can put a smile on anyone’s face, Magnus who makes her eldest son shine brighter than she ever thought he could. They’re family. 

An unconventional rag tag group of Shadowhunters and Downworlders alike. But a family all the same.

Maryse shakes her head and beckons them towards the couch.

“Come on,” she says, no room for disagreement in her tone, “you’re all family.” 

She watches Luke’s face light up, warmth building in her chest.

Clary laughs as Izzy grabs her hand and pulls her into the photo. 

Magnus and Simon exchange grins and join Alec and Jace behind the couch. 

A few years ago, if anyone had told Maryse she’d consider Lucian Graymark, Valentine’s daughter, a vampire, and Magnus Bane family she would never have believed them. 

But she’s so glad that she does. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! 
> 
> Comments and Kudos are appreciated!


	25. Humiliation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He hasn’t gotten any hits in yet and he needs to prove to Hodge that he doesn’t suck at hand to hand combat. This isn’t exactly proving that point.

Alec grunts and ducks quickly to avoid a punch.

He rises back to his full height too early and ends up behind hit hard in his chest. He takes a few stumbling steps backwards before he regains his footing. 

His sparring partner grins and Alec feels his face heat. He hasn’t gotten any hits in yet and he needs to prove to Hodge that he doesn’t suck at hand to hand combat. This isn’t exactly proving that point. 

Alec presses his lips together and dodges another punch, bringing a foot up and kicking his opponent as hard as he can. 

He goes stumbling backwards and Alec feels a sliver of pride. His moment of triumph doesn’t last long though, because his opponent comes back at him with renewed force, backing Alec to the edge of the practice mat with a barrage of attacks. 

Alec blocks the attacks but he can feel himself getting tired as they keep coming. He tries to swipe out his leg to trip his opponent but isn’t exactly successful. He winds up being knocked to the floor flat on his back.

The wind is knocked out of him and he takes a moment on the floor to catch his breath. He’s lost the match.

Alec stares hard at the ceiling, his cheeks burning with shame. He doesn’t want to look at Hodge or any of his classmates. He’s a Lightwood. He’s supposed to be one of the best and yet he hasn’t won a hand to hand sparring match all week. 

His opponent offers a hand to help him up but Alec ignores it, getting to his feet on his own. 

“You did good,” Izzy says quietly when he joins the group watching as a new sparring match begins. 

Jace pats his shoulder comfortingly from his other side and Alec tries not to resent him. Jace hasn’t lost a match since he’s gotten here. 

Alec presses his lips together and watches the rest of the matches quietly, trying to push down the harrowing feeling of inadequacy that has become a constant for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! 
> 
> Comments and Kudos are always appreciated!


	26. Pet Names

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alec ends up being a part of Izzy’s scheme to get Clary and Magnus to the Lightwoods’ holiday extravaganza without outing themselves. Also known as Izzy pretending to date Magnus while Alec pretends to be dating Clary.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A silly one that I had way too much fun writing

It’s December, which means it’s the one time of year where all the Lightwoods are under one roof for a week. 

Alec doesn’t usually mind going home for the holidays, but this year is different. Namely because of one Magnus Bane. They’ve been dating for almost a year now and Alec doesn’t want to spend an entire week away from him, especially during the holidays. 

Izzy’s gotten herself a serious girlfriend this year as well and when Alec had voiced his hesitance over going home this year she’d simply told him she was planning to bring Clary and that he should just bring Magnus with him too. 

It’s a simple enough solution. Except for the tiny problem that neither of them have come out to their parents and don’t plan to do so anytime soon. 

Which is how Alec ends up being a part of Izzy’s scheme to get Clary and Magnus to the Lightwoods’ holiday extravaganza without outing themselves. Also known as Izzy pretending to date Magnus while Alec pretends to be dating Clary. 

It seemed like a genius plan at first. That is, until Alec realized how hard it was to pretend to be Clary’s boyfriend. 

“Fray, if you call me babe one more time I think I’ll actually lose it.” Alec mutters under his breath as they make their way back to the house after their annual Christmas shopping trip. 

Clary just grins knowingly, patting Alec on the chest before walking to the dining room where dinner is being set up. She’s absolutely doing it because she knows it annoys Alec. She’s insufferable. 

Alec slides into his seat at the dinner table next to Izzy. Clary sits across from him and Magnus next to her. His parents sit at either head on the table. 

Magnus sends Alec a soft smile from across the table and Alec has to bite his lip to stop the dopey smile he knows wants to spread across his lips in return. 

Dinner starts off smoothly. Alec falls into the familiarity of his mother’s questions about their lives and stories from Max about high school. 

Alec almost forgets that he’s pretending to date Clary. 

That is, until Clary gets a wicked gleam in her eyes and she makes eye contact with Alec. 

“Pumpkin,” she says sweetly, “would you pass the salt?” 

She smirks, looking much too proud of herself. Alec glares at her as hard as he can without having his parents question why it looks like he’s two seconds away from murdering his supposed girlfriend. 

“Alexander,” Magnus says, looking like he’s trying extremely hard not to laugh, “I think your girlfriend just asked you for the salt.” 

“She called you pumpkin,” Izzy coos, much less successful at hiding her amusement than Magnus is, “how sweet.” 

Alec kicks her under the table. He hates all of them. 

He picks up the salt shaker and hands it over to Clary. 

“Thanks.”

Alec smirks at her, patting her hand. 

“Anything for my Baby Cakes,” he replies with a straight face. 

Clary almost drops the salt shaker in her horror, whipping around to look at Alec with wide betrayed eyes. Alec has to stifle a snort into his arm.

Two can play this game. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! 
> 
> Comments and Kudos are appreciated!


	27. Ransom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Simon makes a deal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is set in 2b. I believe it’s episode 2x20. Whichever episode it is that Luke and Simon go looking for Maia in the Seelie Realm

Simon stands, head held high, in front of the Seelie Queen. He tries his best not to show that everything in him is itching to follow Luke as he storms out of the court. 

But he knows he won’t find Maia that way. 

The Seelie Queen smiles at him in that chilling way where it looks like she’s circling her prey and she’s got it right where she wants it. 

Simon supposes that  _ is  _ true. She’d wanted Simon to return and here Simon is. 

“What do you want?” 

She laughs and turns to face her throne.

“Eager aren’t we Daylighter,” she says, “sit down first. Have something to eat.” 

Simon presses his lips together but does as she says. He’s not sure he can take on a thousands of years old evil fairy queen. Which is not something he thought he’d ever genuinely be faced with in his life but here he is. 

He doesn’t touch the food even as she watches him expectantly. 

“Um-“ he says nervously, “thanks for the offer and all but I don’t really eat. You know— because of the whole vampire thing. I tried once and it didn’t end very well. My digestive system did  _ not  _ like that.” 

He trails off when he realizes that he’s been nervously rambling and that the Seelie Queen is just watching him consideringly. 

“You came for you friend,” she says finally, “I thought you would.” 

Simon thinks about Maia. He hopes she’s okay. He’ll never forgive himself if she isn’t and it was because of him. 

“I’ll let her go,” the Seelie Queen continues. 

“What? Really?” Simon blurts without thinking. 

“Of course. I just want something in return for my trouble.” 

Simon wants to argue that she’d been the one to  _ take _ Maia in the first place. 

“What do you want?” 

The Seelie Queen looks him up and down with a smirk and Simon somehow knows what she’s going to say even before she does.

“You,” she takes a step towards him and Simon has to lock every muscle in his body to get himself not to spin on his heel and get the hell out of there, “I want you to stay here with me in my realm. I’ll keep you safe from Valentine.” 

Simon gulps. The refusal is on the tip of his tongue. He  _ can _ ’ _ t.  _ What about everyone he cares about. Luke, and Clary and Isabelle, and  _ Maia _ . Would he even get to say goodbye?

But then his thoughts stall on Maia. Maia who is here because of him. Because for some reason Simon can’t for the life of him understand, the Seelie Queen wants something from him. 

He can’t leave Maia here when she didn’t even have a choice. 

At least Simon has a choice. 

“Okay,” Simon says, wincing when the Seelie Queen grins triumphantly, “but you have to let me make sure she gets home safe. I need to know you keep your word.”

He knows better than to trust her. 

She nods at him and then smiles again. It makes the hairs at the back of his neck stand. 

“We are going to have so much fun together.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy!
> 
> Comments and Kudos are appreciated!!


	28. Souvenirs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alec gets Magnus a gift

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s definitely November but oh well

“Got you something.” 

Magnus spins on his heel in the middle of the room, quirking an eyebrow at Alec who stands with his hands hidden behind his back. 

Alec takes a step closer and holds out a thin black box to Magnus. 

“I saw it when we were at that market in Mumbai,” Alec says softly, “I thought you might like it.” 

When Magnus opens the box he can’t help but smile. It’s a simple sort of necklace. One that Magnus can already imagine going well with a number of his outfits. Alec has a good eye. The necklace is beaded a mix of blues and golds with a black pendant sitting in the middle. It’s absolutely beautiful. 

“Thank you Alexander,” he breathes, looking up and finding Alec watching him with a half smile.

“Do you want to try it on?” 

Magnus nods, letting Alec take the necklace from him with careful fingers, and turning around. 

Alec crowds in against his back, a long line of warmth. He drapes the necklace against Magnus’ neck and fastens it carefully. 

His fingers linger on Magnus’ collar bone for a second before bending and pressing a kiss to his neck. 

“Beautiful,” he murmurs into the skin. 

Magnus has to choke back some of the emotion that gets lodged in his chest. 

Alec always does this whenever they visit somewhere new. He somehow manages to sneak off and get Magnus a gift.

Magnus should be used to it by now. These little gifts chosen by a careful, well meaning eye. But he’s still somehow always surprised. 

He used to think Alec expected gifts in return and had tried spent ages trying to find something as meaningful as that first omamori to give Alec in return. But hea slowly learned that Alec wasn’t getting him presents because he wanted presents in return. He was doing it simply because he  _ wanted _ to. 

Now, Magnus has a sizable collection of gifts ranging from the beloved omamori to an antique compass Alec had found in Brazil. 

Not so much souvenirs of the places they’ve been, Magnus has already been to them countless times over, he’s stopped needing souvenirs a long time ago. 

Instead, they are reminders of his Alexander. Of a love Magnus doesn’t think he’ll ever forget. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and Kudos are appreciated!


	29. Numb

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Because Alexander is gone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Idk what this is. Sorry?
> 
> (This has mcd so proceed with caution)

It happens in the middle of the night. 

Magnus had been trying to wait up for Alec but had fallen asleep. The terrible phone call wakes him just before the sun is set to rise. 

Isabelle has been crying every time he’s seen her since it happened. 

Jace has spiraled completely out of control.

But Magnus, Magnus just feels numb. He  _ wishes _ he could feel something. 

Anything. 

Anything other than this—this  _ nothingness _ .

Because Alexander is gone. 

The last moment Magnus had seen him feels engraved onto the inside of his eyelids. 

His half smile as he’d strapped his holster to his leg. The kiss he’d pressed to Magnus’ waiting mouth. His laugh when Magnus had blown him another kiss as he’d walked out the door. 

They’d gotten so little time. It wasn’t supposed to end this way. 

Magnus had always been prepared to mourn Alexander. Had been ready for it to wreck him. But he hadn’t prepared for it being so soon. 

Everything in the loft has been touched by his careful presence. His clothes are still strewn around the bedroom. His books fill the shelves. The blankets on the couch are still folded by his meticulous fingers. 

Magnus is afraid he’s never going to be able to touch any of it again. 

And yet he hasn’t shed a single tear. 

Magnus has loved and lost before. Has broken down and sobbed for lovers and friends alike. He’d cried over Camille more times than he’d like to admit. 

And Alexander was without a doubt, one of Magnus’ greatest loves. He’d held Magnus’ heart with such care. He hadn’t cared about all the terrible ugly bits of it and loved him so fiercely sometimes Magnus didn’t know how to bear it. 

Magnus should be ruined. 

Instead, he stands on the balcony and stares unseeingly at a city they’d both vowed to protect. 

Magnus can’t even give him the grief he deserves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and Kudos are appreciated


	30. Pumpkin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alec doesn’t like to lose

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is ridiculous and I love it

“I am not letting Bane win again this year.” 

Jace drops their bag onto the table and rolls his eyes. 

“Alec calm down, it’s a pumpkin carving contest.”

Alec glares at him. Maybe to  _ him _ this is just a contest. But Alec will not go a third year losing to fucking Magnus Bane at pumpkin carving. 

He doesn’t care how annoyingly hot or alluring he is. Alec does not like to lose. 

“It’s war,” he mutters, pulling the carving tools out of the bag lining them up on the table. 

Not even a minute later Magnus and his partner arrive and claim the table next to them. 

Alec watches them from the corner of his eye. 

Magnus is wearing an orange tank top which is stupid given how cold it is. Alec absolutely doesn’t get stuck watching the way his biceps bulge as he moves. Absolutely not. 

His partner, Catarina Loss, catches Alec staring. Alec averts his eyes, suddenly very interested in lining up their tools which are already set up in a perfect line. 

“Oh my god,” Jace mutters under his breath and Alec kicks him with a glare. 

Alec doesn’t look back up until a shadow falls across their table. 

When he looks up, Magnus is standing in front of him, a lazy smile on his lips. 

“Alexander,” he says and Alec has to try extremely hard not to blush at the use of his full name. Magnus insists on using it and Alec is almost sure it’s because he knows it makes Alec start stuttering like an idiot. 

“Bane,” he replies curtly.

Magnus’ smile twitches and he leans against the table. His necklaces swing close to Alec and Alec bites his lip to stop himself from smiling. 

“What?” He asks when Magnus just looks at him for a long moment. 

“Nothing,” Magnus murmurs, “just wanted to wish my favorite competitor good luck.” 

Jace snorts next to Alec and Magnus’ smile turns more amused. 

“Um—“ Alec says, not sure what to say. He and Magnus aren’t really friends. The only time they interact is when Magnus grins at him when they run into each other around school and at the annual pumpkin carving competition where he always beats Alec’s ass, “thank you.” 

Magnus’ eyes crinkle and he taps the table twice, nodding like he’s gotten exactly what he wanted. And then he spins on his heel and walks back over to his table. 

The competitors are given an hour to carve their pumpkins and then a group of students will act as the panel judges as they present their final products. 

Alec and Jace get to work. They’d prepared an intricate carving of the grim reaper for their pumpkin. They need to work fast if they want to get it done in time. 

At the table next to them, Magnus and Cat keep giggling to each other. Alec gets distracted for a moment when Magnus throws his head back and laughs loud and unabashed at something she says. 

“Focus,” Jace chastises him and Alec shakes his head to clear it. He’s not going to lose this because Magnus distracted him of all things.

When the hour comes to an end, Alec is proud of their work. He wasn’t sure if they’d pull it off but they’d done it. 

From next to them Magnus grins at Alec, eyes glinting excitedly. Alec wonders what he has up his sleeve. He seems rather proud of it. 

When he and Jace present their pumpkin, the crowd applauds loudly as they light the candle and the grim reaper glows. Alec smiles proudly and accepts the high five Jace offers. 

Then it’s Magnus and Cat’s turn. 

Magnus sends Alec another smirk before lighting the match to light their candle with. 

“Our design this year is dedicated to our lovely competitor Alexander,” Magnus says and Alec feels his eyebrows climb up to his hairline. 

When Magnus reveals the pumpkin he’s grinning at Alec with bright eyes. The pumpkin has a single word carved out in the center.

_ Date? _

Alec just stares at it, stunned, for a long moment until Jace elbows him. 

“Well? What do you say?” Magnus asks, “will you go on a date with me?” 

Alec feels a delighted laugh bubble up into his chest and he smiles. 

“Yes.” 

Magnus’ smile lights up his face and Alec knows he’s made the right choice. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and Kudos are appreciated


	31. Embrace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izzy finds Alec in the training room. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last one!! Thought we’d end like we started with these two wonderful siblings supporting each other

Izzy finds Alec in the training room. 

It’s the middle of the night but Izzy knows Alec isn’t going to sleep tonight. 

They’d gotten into a lot of trouble today. The three of them. It had been Izzy’s idea and she can’t help but feel guilty. She and Jace all but forced Alec to come with them. And she knew he only did because he’s tasked himself with keeping the both of them safe. 

It had been their idea, and yet Alec had been handed the brunt of the blame when they’d gotten caught. 

It isn’t fair. Though it rarely ever is with their parents. 

Alec sits in the center of the training room. His bow is abandoned next to him and the targets all have arrows stuck perfectly to the bullseye. 

Alec doesn’t look proud though. He looks small curled on the floor of the large room. 

He’s just staring at the targets. 

Alec doesn’t cry. Izzy doesn’t think she’s ever seen him break down before. He hides everything deep in his chest. Somewhere even Izzy can’t reach. 

It kills her to watch him hide under that carefully crafted mask. 

Sometimes she wishes he’d just cry and scream and let it all out. She thinks she’d be able to deal with that better. 

She steps into the room and Alec looks up. 

He looks tired and weary and worst of all _ resigned _. Izzy wants to cry. 

He’s her big brother. She’s looked up to him for as long as she can remember. He’s everything to her. 

He doesn’t deserve this. He deserves all the happiness in the world. 

Izzy wishes she could give it to him. But she can’t. So she does the next best thing.

She kneels at his side and pulls him into her, squeezing tight. 

“I love you,” she whispers into his neck. 

Alec releases a breath and hugs her back. 

“I love you too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos are appreciated!


End file.
